Spotlight



March- 17; 1925.

- H. G. FIT-Z GERALD SPQTLIGHT Filed Dec. 9, 1922 INVENTOR.

A. ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

anna amt-s meo -e; FJHZ'GEEERALD; we mess nres-m- SPOTLIGHT:

Application filed December 9, 1922. Serial No. 605,809.

T 0 all 1071-0722. it may cow-em:

Be it known that I, HAROLD G. Frrz GERALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Spotlight, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lamps principally of the type used on self-propelled vehicles and known as search or spot lights, and it has especial reference to a supporting means for the lamp, an object of the invention being to provide a simple and convenient mount fora lamp, which will permit a universal movement of the lamp and in,

which the light of the lamp will automatically extinguish when in a certain zone. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred form of mount and therein Fig. 1 is a rear View of the mount showing a lamp carried thereby.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the contact.

The invention comprises a spotlight generally indicated at 1, and a supporting means as a bracket 2. with intermediate means for connecting the lamp to said bracket to permit a universal movement of the lamp. Such means may comprise a member 3, to which the spotlight may be attached and which in association with the bracket 2 may have a universal movement and automatically extinguish the light of the lamp when in a certain zone to the end that the rays of light shall never be projected above a predetermined height and that there shall be no interference with the free universal movement of the lamp nor with the projection of the rays from it, except when the lamp is moved within a certain zone. The spotlight may comprise a reflector 4: having a central opening for a lamp 5 and socket 6 in an electric circuit as hereafter described. The reflector 4 may be formed with a lug or ears 7 that are arranged to extend in the slotted end of said member 3 and be fastened therein by any convenient means whereby the reflector, after an adj ustment of the same relatively to the member 3 may be rigidly connected and movable with said member 3. Such a means may be a splined bolt 8 which is arranged to extend into and through conforming openings provided in said member 3, and to be fastened in position by a nut 9 engaging the threaded end of said bolt 8. The end of said member 3 is substantially spherical to provide for a universal movement thereof when gripped by suitable prehensile members 10 of the bracket 2, which is included in an electric circuit, and which carries a suitable resilient contact 11, insulated from the bracket 2. By engagement with the spherical portion 3 of the member 3, the contact 11, which is connected with the lamp socket 6 by a wire 12, completes the ground circuit, and energizes the lamp which remains lighted so long as the contact 11 engages the eonducting surface of the spherical portion. A definite area of this spherical portion 3 is non-conducting and when the contact 11 rests on or passes over the non-conductingarea, the ensuing interruption of the circuit, causes the extinguishment of the light. The non-conducting area of the spherical portion may be provided by any suitable nonconducting means as a plug 13 of insulating material fastened on or in said spherical portion and its position is such that when moved vertically in a certain zone of its horizontal movement the insulating area 13 will engage the contact and extinguish the light.

The purpose of the invention being to cause the light of the spotlight automatically to extinguish when in a zone prohibited by law, it will be obvious that any provision or arrangement accomplishing this end, is within the scope of this invention, and that the means specially mentioned herein for answering the requirements, are merely preferential.

What I claim, is:

1. A lamp, a member having at one end a spherical portion and formed at the other end for union with the lamp, a bracket for receiving the spherical portion of said memher and relative to which said member and lamp may have universal movement, a resilient contact member extended through said bracket and engaging the spherical portion, an electric circuit including the lamp, bracket and contact member and a means on said spherical portion for interrupting the circuit and extinguishing the lamp when the latter is moved in a certain zone.

2. In a spotlight, a lamp and a reflector formed with cars, a member slotted to receive said ears and formed with a spherical portion, a means for rigidly connecting together said reflector and member, a bracket for mounting the spherical portion of said member and relatively to which, said member is universally movable, a contact member carried by said bracket, an electric circuit including the lamp, bracket and contact member and said spherical portion, and a non-conducting area on said spherical por- 1 tion arranged to interrupt the circuit when the lamp is moved in a certain zone.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand.

HAROLD G. FITZ GERALD. 

